CITY council and railway museum bosses need to look again at plans for the museum’s expansion over Leeman Road, residents have said.

The National Railway Museum’s plan for a new gallery linking its two buildings on either side of Leeman Road is part of the new York Central masterplan, but last night people from the area urged council chiefs to look again at the scheme.

The proposals would see the road diverted and pedestrian access open through museum opening hours, but shut off at night.

Leeman Road resident Emily Nelson told councillors the idea would send people walking home to the area via a new park - a much less safe place to walk at night.

At the same time, Holgate councillor Kallum Taylor said he believed the city could do much better on access through the NRM’s planned new site.

It is not “mutually exclusive” for the NRM to get a new gallery linking its two sites and for people to be able to get through the site on a safe, accessible and well-lit route at any time of the day or night.

They were speaking at a meeting of City of York council’s ruling executive, when members were asked to approve the new masterplan and give staff the green light to start working on the first planning applications. There were also pleas for commercial space to be prioritised over housing, with city resident and former housing boss Richard Clark saying the site’s key location means economic growth there is key to the city’s success, while new homes can be built elsewhere.

Cllr Stuart Barnes said the 20 per cent affordable housing target was not “hugely ambitious” so the city would benefit much more from new jobs on the site.

The masterplan was agreed, meaning that if planning applications are approved, work on roads and infrastructure could start in spring next year and be completed by 2021.